Press Release - May 9, 2017

Yokogawa Introduces Release 4 of the SMARTDAC+® GX/GP Series Paperless Recorders and GM Series Data Acquisition System
- With new functions for high-speed measurement and PID control -

Release 4 of the SMARTDAC+ GP series portable paperless recorder, GX series panel-mount type paperless recorder, and GM series data acquisition system

Yokogawa Electric Corporation (TOKYO:6841) announces that it will introduce release 4 of the SMARTDAC+® GX series panel-mount type paperless recorder, GP series portable paperless recorder, and GM series data acquisition system on May 19.

With this latest release, new modules are provided that expand the range of applications possible with SMARTDAC+ systems and improve user convenience. New functions include sampling intervals as short as 1 millisecond and the control and monitoring of up to 20 loops.

Overview of New Release and Background of Development

Recorders and data acquisition systems (data loggers) are used on production lines and at product development facilities in a variety of industries to acquire, display, and record data on temperature, voltage, current, flow rate, pressure, and other variables. Yokogawa offers a wide range of such products, and is one of the world's top manufacturers of recorders. Since releasing the SMARTDAC+ data acquisition and control system in 2012, Yokogawa has continued to strengthen it by coming out with a variety of recorders and data acquisition devices that meet market needs and comply with industry-specific requirements and standards.

With this release, Yokogawa provides new modules with strengthened functions that meet customer needs for the acquisition and analysis of detailed data from evaluation tests. These modules decrease the cost of introducing a control application by eliminating the need for the purchase of additional equipment.

Enhancements

The functional enhancements available with release 4 are as follows:

High-speed analog input module for high-speed sampling
To improve the safety of electric devices such as the rechargeable batteries used in everything from automobiles to mobile devices, evaluation tests must be run to acquire and analyze detailed performance data. For this purpose, sampling at intervals as short as 1 millisecond is desirable. However, this normally requires an expensive, high-performance measuring instrument. When the new high-speed analog input module available with release 4 is mounted, a SMARTDAC+ system can sample data at intervals as brief as 1 millisecond, which is 1/100th that of any preceding Yokogawa product. This is suitable for such high performance applications as the measurement of the transient current in rechargeable batteries and vibration in power plant turbines. A dual interval function has also been added that enables the SMARTDAC+ to efficiently and simultaneously collect data on slowly changing signals (e.g., temperature) and quickly changing signals (e.g., pressure and vibration).

PID control*1 module
In applications that need both control and recording, such as controlling the temperature of an industrial furnace or the dosage process at a water treatment plant, there is a need for systems that do not require engineering and can be quickly and easily introduced. To control temperature, flow rate, and pressure, it used to be necessary to use a recorder and a controller for each control loop, or to engineer a solution that combined a recorder with a programmable controller or touch panel display. When the new PID control module available with this release is mounted, the SMARTDAC+ can control and monitor up to 20 loops. With the GX and GP series recorders, an intuitive touch panel user interface and screens for the monitoring and operation of temperature and flow rate are available. In addition, web functionality that is a standard feature on all GX and GP recorders allows for remote monitoring and control via a web browser.

Four-wire RTD*2/resistance module for precise temperature measurement
While three-wire RTDs are widely used in many fields, research institutes and manufacturers of products such as air-conditioning equipment require the higher level of precision possible with 4-wire RTDs. To satisfy this need, Yokogawa has released a 4-wire RTD/resistance module for the SMARTDAC+.

Major Target Markets

GX series: Production of iron and steel, petrochemicals, chemicals, pulp and paper, foods, pharmaceuticals, and electrical equipment/electronics; water supply and wastewater treatment facilities

GP series: Development of home appliances, automobiles, semiconductors, and energy-related technologies; universities; research institutes

GM series: Both of the above target markets

Applications

Acquisition, display, and recording of process data such as temperature, voltage, current, flow rate, and pressure.

About SMARTDAC+

SMARTDAC+ stands for smart data acquisition and control. SMARTDAC+ offers input and output modules for a variety of signal sources and widely supports manufacturing processes and product performance evaluation testing. As a leading company in the recorder market, Yokogawa will continue to respond to a wide variety of needs to help its customers.

*1 Proportional integral derivative (PID) control
PID control is a kind of feedback control. It controls process variables such as temperature, pressure, and flow rate for each loop. A loop is a series of control operations involving the receipt of a reading from a sensor or some other detecting element, the calculation of the difference between the measured and the targeted value, and the issuance of an instruction to a valve or some other control element to correct the measured value.

*2 Resistance temperature detector (RTD)
A temperature sensor that operates on the measurement principle that the electrical resistance of a metal varies in proportion to changes in temperature

For more information

About Yokogawa

Yokogawa's global network of 114 companies spans 59 countries. Founded in 1915, the US$3.7 billion company engages in cutting-edge research and innovation. Yokogawa is active in the industrial automation and control (IA), test and measurement, and aviation and other businesses segments. The IA segment plays a vital role in a wide range of industries including oil, chemicals, natural gas, power, iron and steel, pulp and paper, pharmaceuticals, and food. For more information about Yokogawa, please visit www.yokogawa.com.

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